Oct. 13, 2004
Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1272)
Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 281/483-5111)
RELEASE: 04-343
NASA BEGINS FULL-SCALE REHEARSALS FOR SHUTTLE'S RETURN TO FLIGHT
Training for the Space Shuttle's return to flight entered a new phase
today as the astronauts and Mission Control began full-scale
rehearsals that will continue until days before launch.
A web of computer and voice communication connections brings together
dozens of flight controllers, the astronauts who will fly the
Shuttle, support engineers and training instructors to simulate key
portions of the next mission. The training is complex, with planners
inserting multiple problems during each practice session and gauging
the performance of the team as it addresses them.
This first eight-hour "flight-specific integrated simulation" focuses
on the Space Shuttle Discovery's rendezvous and docking with the
International Space Station. The simulation includes practicing a new
flip, a rendezvous pitch maneuver, that the Space Shuttle performs as
it approaches to allow Station crew members to photograph the
Shuttle's heat shielding tiles to check their condition.
"This is where we stop just brainstorming and thinking about how we're
going to go fly this flight in space," said Lead Flight Director Paul
Hill. "This will look and feel to us just like a real flight -- even
to the astronauts. Once the clock starts ticking in the simulation,
we get the same adrenalin when something bad starts to happen, we get
the same rush when we solve a problem that keeps the crew out of
danger, as we would during the real thing," he added.
As these dress rehearsals continue, the team will practice every
aspect of the flight. Some aspects, such as launch and landing, will
be rehearsed many times.
The crew of the return to flight mission will participate from the
fixed-base Shuttle simulator. The STS-114 crew includes Commander
Eileen Collins, Pilot Jim Kelly and Mission Specialists Charlie
Carmarda, Wendy Lawrence, Steve Robinson, Soichi Noguchi and Andy
Thomas. A stand-in Station crew will participate from the nearby
Space Station simulator.
"This integrated simulation is a huge milestone for the crew," Collins
said. "The crew is ready to go, the flight control team is ready to
go, and we're especially looking forward to the rendezvous pitch
maneuver -- something that's never been done before," she added.
Flight controllers supporting both the Space Shuttle and Space Station
will work in the Mission Control Center. Hill will lead the Shuttle
contingent, while Flight Director Brian Lunney will lead the Station
team.
Video of the simulation, including comments from participants, will be
broadcast during the daily hour of live coverage of International
Space Station operations at 11 a.m. EDT today. It also will air on
the NASA TV Video File.
NASA Television is available in the continental U.S. on AMC-6,
Transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 72 degrees west longitude. The
frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is
monaural at 6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA Television is
available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C, C-Band, located at 137 degrees
west longitude. Frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical,
and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
For more information on NASA TV on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Sill imagery of the simulation will be available on the Internet by 1
p.m. EDT today at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-114/preflight/ndxpage24.html
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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